A blog by Dr Lin Day

About Lin

Dr Lin Day

Founder of multi-award award winning Baby Sensory, Dr Lin Day (PhD, M.Phil, PGCE, BSc, Dip Ed, SRN), is one of the UK’s leading parenting experts and a renowned author within the field of childcare and education. Lin has over 35 years of practical experience working with parents and children. Away from work, something that happens not enough if you ask husband and lifelong colleague Howard, she is a doting grandmother, obsessed with her terrier Bow, and currently enjoying a new chapter in life of setting up a second home in Northern France.

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In the UK this year, Father’s Day falls on Sunday 18th June. It provides a wonderful opportunity to honour dads and express gratitude for their love, care and support.

Fathers Make a Difference

Dads can add so much to their child’s development. For example, they can:

Encourage exploratory skills, which support the development of independence.

Engage in activities such as tickling, teasing, bouncing, wrestling and rough and tumble play, which increases confidence and self-control.

Add variety and dimension to their child’s experience of the world.

Expand their child’s horizons by playing with toys in non-traditional ways.

Challenge children to find different ways of doing things.

Influence development through direct teaching and daily interaction.

Encourage competition and independence.

Expand vocabulary and language skills through brief and directive talking.

Bring different strengths and styles to their teaching role than mum.

Girls who grow up with a loving, involved father are more likely to have healthy, emotionally balanced relationships with males in later life. Boys who grow up with a loving, involved father are less likely to be aggressive and more likely to make friends at school because they have learned how to channel their masculinity and strength in positive ways.

Studies have repeatedly highlighted the positive role that dads can have in their children’s learning and development. As a result, many schools are pioneering ways to involve them in projects such as cookery, computing, reading, craft, sports, games, maths and other classroom work. Fathers are also being encouraged to contribute to their children’s out-of-school learning. In a world where television and computers often dominate children’s lives, showing an interest in what they do, and helping with homework and reading are more important than ever before.

Absent fathers

Even if the father is unable to spend regular time with his children, they will still benefit from his attention, warmth and affection. He can take them on outings, attend school activities and spend quality time with them.

Giving children love, attention and richness of care is something that all dads can do regardless of whether they are in a committed relationship, single or non-resident. Children grow up so quickly and missed opportunities are lost forever.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day is celebrated all over the world. In the USA, Canada, Southern Ireland and Mexico, Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. In Italy and Spain, Father’s Day is celebrated in the third week of March. In Australia, Father’s Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of September.

In the UK, Sunday 19th June provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the unique contribution that dads make to all aspects of their children’s lives.

Baby swaddling is a
controversial subject. Read on to find out how to keep your baby safe. Peer
reviewed article published in the Journal of HealthVisiting (April 2015).

Archaeological records show that babies have been swaddled since
4000 BC. Swaddling involved wrapping pieces of cloth and a band tightly around
the baby’s body from the shoulders to the feet to in the belief that it helped
them to develop a strong, straight back before they were able to walk. The
swaddled baby was then placed horizontally in a cradle or cot, or strapped
firmly vertically to a cradleboard to support the spine.Due to the effect of tight swaddling on limb restriction, the
practice fell out of favour in the mid-1960s, as new theories in baby
development took hold. However, following
the ‘Back to Sleep’ campaign in the 1990s, and popularisationin parenting
guides, swaddling has made a comeback.

Some healthcare professionals recommend
swaddling while others speak out against it. Advocates believe that swaddling
replicates the confined conditions of the womb, and helps the newborn adjust to life in the
outside world. Some studies (Gerard et al. 2002; Thach 2009) have shown that swaddled babies
startle less, have a lower heart rate, sleep more deeply, and wake less
spontaneously than when not swaddled. Swaddling also prevents babies from
rolling over on to their tummies, which is a risk factor for Sudden Infant
Death Syndrome (SIDS) (Gerard
et al. 2002).Work by Blair et al. (2009) has linked
swaddling to respiratory complications, prolonged deep sleep, and overheating,
which are risk factors for SIDS. Other concerns include tight swaddling of the
legs, which can lead to
developmental dysplasia of the hip. There is also disagreement among
healthcare professionals about the benefits of restricting the protective startle
reflex in newborns. When the limbs are confined, babies are unable to startle
themselves awake.

The
effects of swaddling on SIDS are controversial. Until there is
conclusive evidence that swaddling is unsafe, the practice is unlikely to
become less common.

History of swaddlingEgyptian tomb reliefs from 2500 BC show babies swaddled with
cloths and tied to the mother's back or hip. Sacred
statuettes of infants in swaddling clothes have also been found in Ancient
Greek and Roman tombs. History
shows that Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar were all swaddled as babies.
The practice of swaddling has been known for centuries over most of Europe,
Asia, Canada, South and North America.

The most
famous record of swaddling is found in the New Testament concerning the birth
of Jesus.“And she brought forth her
firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in
the inn." (Luke 2:7).After the
birth, the newborn was washed, rubbed with salt and oil to thicken and firm the
skin. To prevent cold air from touching the skin and to
ensure that the limbs grew straight, the baby was wrapped in linen or
cotton and over-wrapped with six metre long bandage-like strips or bands. Swaddling
and salting became the model of infant care practice for some 1,500 years or
more.

During
the Tudor period (1485 to
1603), newborns were ‘salted’ and wrapped in linen
bands from head to foot for up to nine months to ensure that they grew up
without physical deformity. The legs were placed closely together, the arms were placed at the
sides, and the swaddling cloth was then folded over the baby’s body, feet and
arms. A swaddle band was wrapped under the baby's chin and over the forehead to
secure the head, and then around the body all the way down to the ankles. The
weight and heat of the swaddle wrap and band restricted movement, cramped the
bowels, and increased body temperature.In Medieval times, it was traditional practice to immobilise
babies for up to nine months without washing or regular human contact.
They were unable to reach out for objects or suck their fingers or toes for
comfort. Infants were also left in their own excrement for days on end.
Crawling, an important developmental milestone was often delayed or absent
(Frenken 2011).

In parts of Canada, North America, and
South America, babies were traditionally swaddled and attached to portable
cradleboards constructed of dogwood or willow sticks, which supported the spine
and constricted movement. However,
studies (Chisholm
& Cary 2009) demonstrated a very high prevalence of hip dysplasia. The frequency of
hip dislocation decreased dramatically when cloth nappies, which slightly
flexed and abducted the hips, were introduced in the 1950s (American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2011a).In the 1800s, the medical profession recommended a less containing
form of swaddling, which kept the arms and legs free. Nevertheless,
most mothers continued to use traditional swaddling bands until the early
1930s. Swaddling eventually fell out of favour following concerns that it could
overheat the baby, restrict growth, and displace the hips.

In recent
years,swaddling has become increasingly popular as a
settling technique in the Netherlands, some parts of the United States, and the
United Kingdom (Frenken 2011). In the UK, about 19 percent of babies are
swaddled in the first
four weeks of life (Clarke 2013).However, modern swaddling allows ample room for hip and
knee flexion.Benefits of
swaddlingMany parents say that swaddling provides comfort and security, limits
the startle reflex, and helps their babies get to sleep and stay asleep. Gerard et al.
(2002) found that babies were just as likely to
startle when swaddled as when unswaddled, but returned to sleep more quickly.
Longer sleep duration in swaddled infants is believed to be important for brain
development.

Additional
benefits include:·Helps babies
to stay on their backs, which reduces the risk of SIDS.

·Prevents the baby moving into dangerous situations.

·Helps to settle
an overstimulated or distressed baby.

·Makes the
baby feel secure.

·Prevents
uncontrollable flailing of the baby’s arms and legs.

·Reduces
crying, fussiness, and distress.

·Helps babies
sleep more deeply.

·Promotes
brain development by reducing stress.

When the baby sleeps better in the supine position, parents are
less likely to use the prone position for sleep. Improved sleep means that mother
is less likely to suffer from exhaustion, postpartum depression or stress.Safe swaddlingSwaddling
is standard
practice in many neonatal intensive care units for
premature and/or low birth weight infants. However, swaddling takes place very loosely. The arms and legs are held
weakly against the baby’s body so that movement is possible. This form of
swaddling is very different to traditional tight swaddling in the stretched
position.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP 2011b) recommends
swaddling, when done correctly, to be an effective technique to help calm
infants, promote sleep, and reduce SIDS. Mothers who swaddle are twice as
likely to put their babies in the supine position, which reduces the likelihood
of SIDS. Safe swaddling also prevents the baby rolling into the prone
position or moving into a dangerous situation (Gerard et al. 2002). Additionally,
swaddling reduces the chances of bedding
covering the baby’s face and head, which can cause overheating or asphyxia. The baby’s hands can also be left
free to self-comfort by sucking on the fingers or hand.

Most modern swaddle wraps are produced in a triangular, ‘T’ or ‘Y’
shape, which may include ‘wings’ that fold around the baby's body and arms, and
a pouch that allows the baby’s hips to move and the legs to spread apart
naturally. Swaddle wraps are made fromcotton, muslin, silk or
a lightweight breathable fabric to prevent overheating. Some swaddle wraps are
made from cotton spandex to reduce the risk of chest wall compression.Swaddling should be stopped at three months-old (the peak age of
SIDS risk) or when the baby shows signs of rolling over. Older babies may use a
baby sleeping bag, which is less restrictive than a swaddle wrap. The sleeping
bag keeps the baby warm, and it offers plenty of room for the legs and feet to
move freely during the night. It is also sleeveless and without a hood to
prevent overheating or asphyxiation.Potential risks of swaddling:·Placing the swaddled baby in the prone
position.

·Reduced ability to arouse from deep sleep.

·Overheating, if a heavy blanket is used.

·Suffocation
if the swaddle wrap covers the baby’s face.

·Inhibited
breathing if the wrap is too tight across the chest.·Developmental
dysplasia of the hip if movement of the hips or knees is restricted.·Increased risk of SIDS if continued over
the age of 3 months-old.

Blair et al. (2009)
found that one in 4 SIDS babies had been swaddled. However, the sample used for
the study was small and the risk was branded 'unreliable' by the National
Health Service. Other studies (e.g. Thach 2009) have shown that
swaddling increased the risk of SIDS when babies slept in the prone position,
but not when they slept on their backs. Some
studies (Thach 2009; Clarke 2013)found that swaddling babies slept more soundly. However this may not
be a desirable outcome, as the pathogenesis of SIDS is thought to involve an
impaired ability to arouse from sleep in response to a life threatening
respiratory or cardiovascular challenge. Although newborns have an inborn survival mechanism, which
enables them to wake up if the airway is obstructed; in deep sleep their
well-being could be threatened.The Royal
College of Midwives (Clark 2013) advised against tight swaddling and heavy
blankets in fear of overheating the newborn. Other concerns included
restriction of the chest wall resulting in breathing difficulties or secondary
complications such as pneumonia.

·Torticollis
(asymmetrical head or neck position).DDH occurs in about 1 in 1,000 babies. About 80 percent of cases are female. This is due to oestrogen produced
by the female foetus, which increases elasticity of ligaments and causes the
femoral head to move out of position. Treatment, which involves fitting a harness to keep the legs in a
flexed, widespread position day and night for six weeks, is successful in about
85 percent of cases.

About 17 percent of newborns have some
degree of hip dysplasia. Although the condition resolves untreated by 2 to 3
months-old, traditional tight swaddling may lead to late onset hip dysplasia
and early arthritis (Clark 2013).

ConclusionThere is a significant difference between traditional tight
wrapping and safe swaddling. If babies are placed on their backs to sleep, and
they are loosely wrapped without hip or limb constriction, swaddling may be
safe. However, swaddling could become a safety issue if blankets are used or
when the baby becomes mobile. Care should be taken to ensure that the
swaddle wrap does not restrict blood flow or breathing, or cover the baby’s
face or head.

The association between swaddling and SIDS has been mainly limited
to babies lying in the prone position. The risk of SIDS in supine swaddled babies
needs more in-depth research.Further informationInformation
covering all aspects of baby care, health and safety can be found in our Baby
Sensory new baby course ‘Baby Foundations’. Please visit www.babyfoundations.comBy Dr.
Lin Day (www.babysensory.com)

This article appeared in the Journal of Health
Visiting› April 2015 › Volume 3 Issue 4 › and has been subject
to peer review.

ReferencesAmerican Academy of Pediatrics (2011a) Improper
swaddling a risk factor for developmental dysplasia of hip. Available from http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/32/9/11.1
[Accessed 11
October 2014]

American
Academy of Pediatrics (2011b) Practice safe swaddling to protect baby’s
hips. Available from http://aapnews.aappublications.org/content/32/9/11.2 [Accessed 11 October 2014]

At 8 weeks-old, Bow bounced into my life and I fell in love
with her. But she wasn’t meant for me. Bow was to be Howard’s new friend and
companion.

Howard has always had dogs downsizing from elegant Great
Danes to a fun-loving family Labrador, and intelligent, working collies. And
then Katie had her own dog, ‘Tug the terrier’, who simply bulged with
character. After we lost Tug, work took us away from home and we decided to
wait a few years before bringing another dog into our lives. Four years later,
Howard found Bow. But as she nestled into my arms on the homeward journey from
Manchester to Salisbury, we bonded forever.

The puppy stage doesn’t last very long so we made the most
if it. During Bow’s critical learning period (8 to 19 weeks), we went to puppy
school together. Bow learned good manners, how to play with adults, children
and other dogs, and how to respond to commands. Only patience and kind
techniques were used to train her. I am sure this is why Bow is so gentle and
loving and likes nothing more than being part of our family.

Bow is capable of intense feelings. Although I rarely leave
her, our reunion lasts 20 minutes and she cries with emotion. Right now, she is
curled up on my lap knowing that I am writing her blog. Her waggly tail gives
everything away. She is also licking my hand furiously.

We have celebrated 2 Bow birthdays and each year, she has a
new red collar. The one that Bow is wearing now is decorated with sparkly bows
and her name. To celebrate Christmas this year, Bow has a new red and gold
starred bow!

•Special talents: sniffing out lost toys, and waiting
patiently for ‘Mr. Taupe’ to appear from his French molehill.

•Places travelled: all over the UK and France.

•Fears: loud bangs (fireworks), and objects that are out of
context. For example, a man carrying a fishing rod or an empty car seat sitting
on the pavement.

The love and fear of losing Bow makes me think that she
should have puppies. One I shall keep, but then there’s the worry of finding
loving homes for the others. I already have names for her puppy - Bear or maybe
Fox?

When I asked our 9 year-old granddaughter Ellie to sum up
Bow, she said:

“I love Bow so much because she is very pretty, has silky,
floppy ears, loves kissing and she is very cute. She is a joy to have in our
family!”

Bow means the world to me and I wanted her to look her best
for the photograph. It was well worth the three hour trip to see our expert
Baby Sensory and Toddler Sense photographer, Mark Fletcher, who was very
sensitive, caring and kind. You can contact Mark at mark@photo-sensory.comor 07714 797730 or www.photo-sensory.com

Bow’s red and gold starred Christmas bow arrived in a
beautiful box from Tracy at the Distinguished Dog Co (www.theddcompany.com). Bow loves it and
so do I!

In the Western world, Christmas Day is generally celebrated
on 25 December. Some historians believe the date was chosen to correspond with
the Roman winter solstice or the birthday of the Persian god Mithras, who was
born in a cave on 25 December long before the appearance of Christianity.

Many traditions, such as the giving of presents, are linked
to the Nativity. Pagan traditions, such as decorating the home with evergreen,
were adopted by early Christians to celebrate Christmas. Non-Christian
traditions, such as crackers and cards, were added much later.

Read on to find out more……..

1. Cards

The first Christmas card was produced in 1846 by Sir Henry
Cole, director of the Victoria and Albert museum. With the introduction of the
’halfpenny post’ in 1870, Christmas cards were produced for the mass market.

2. Carols

It is thought that Saint Francis of Assisi brought carols
into the church during Midnight Mass in Italy in 1223. However carols did not
become Christmas songs until the 16th century. The custom of carol-singing in
the streets dates mainly from the 19th century.

3. Crackers

Christmas crackers were invented by an enterprising baker,
in the late 19th century. To encourage children to have a tug-of-war over his
confectionery, sweets were wrapped in coloured papers, which contained a
miniature explosive charge. Miniature toys, riddles and hats were incorporated
later on.

4. Christmas
pudding

The Christmas pudding originated in Roman times as a mix of
meat and vegetables. In medieval times, the savoury content was replaced by 13
ingredients, which included dried fruit (known as plums), sugar and spices,
which represented Jesus and the 12 Apostles. To honour the Wise Men, every
family member stirred the ingredients from east to west. Christmas pudding in
its current form was introduced to the table by Prince Albert.

5. Christmas
star

Astronomers know that there was no supernova star at the
possible time of Jesus’s birth. However, in 6 BC the planets Mars, Jupiter and
Saturn were close enough to form a triangle in the group of stars known as
Pisces. If the Wise Men had studied the stars and planets, they would have
interpreted the event as a great sign.

6. Christmas
tree

The Christmas tree originated in Germany and was associated
with a legend about a Devon monk (Saint Boniface), who used its triangular
shape to describe the Holy Trinity.

The first decorated tree appeared in Riga (Latvia) in 1510
and was strewn with paper flowers and then burnt on a bonfire as part of a
religious ceremony. In the 16th century, Martin Luther decorated a small fir
tree with candles to show his children how the stars twinkled in the night. In
the 18th century, Christmas trees arrived in England with the Georgian kings,
but they did not become popular until the Victorian era. After Victoria’s
death, Christmas trees became traditional in almost every British and American
household.

7. Evergreens

In the pre-Christian era, homes were decorated with
evergreens to ward off evil spirits, witches and disease and to encourage the
return of Saturn, the harvest god.

The practice of removing greenery from the home on the
twelfth night of Christmas (5 January) originated from the belief that tree
spirits were released back into the countryside to regenerate the vegetation.
According to superstition, it is unlucky to leave decorations in the home after
the twelfth night.

8. Gifts

The giving and receiving of gifts originated in ancient
Rome, and northern Europe, as part of the year-end celebrations, but started in
earnest in the late 1800s. Today, the exchanging of presents is central to most
cultures.

In the Western world, the traditional time for giving
presents is Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. However, in some countries, gifts
are exchanged on 6 December, which is Saint Nicholas Day.

9. Holly

The Druids believed that holly protected the home from evil spirits.
In later times, holly was placed around beehives to encourage bees to hum in
the honour of baby Jesus. Decking the halls with ‘boughs of holly’ was thought
to cure coughs and other ailments. Today, the plant signifies peace and joy.

10. Mince pies

Mince pies filled with meat, fruit and spices were brought
from the Middle East in the 13th century by European crusaders. During the
English Civil War, Cromwell banned them as indulgent foods, but they were later
restored by the English monarchy in 1660. In the Victorian era, mince pies
became sweeter. They have continued to be a popular Christmas tradition ever
since.

11. Mistletoe

Mistletoe was revered by the Druids, who used a gold sickle
to cut it from an oak tree. The plant was hung in homes to ward off evil
spirits. In later times, kissing under the mistletoe signified friendship and
goodwill.

12. Saint
Nicholas

Saint Nicholas was a Christian bishop who lived in Myra
(near the city of Anatolia in present-day Turkey) in the 4th century. After his
death, Saint Nicholas became best known as the protector of small children. In
many countries, Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated as a feast for children and
without any religious overtones.

13. Santa Claus

In 1868, Thomas Nast combined Saint Nicholas with a
merry-making medieval figure to create the traditional image of Santa. Although
an American invention, similar likenesses also evolved in France and Italy. The
traditional sleigh and reindeers came from Scandinavian Christmas myths.

In many Latin American countries, Santa makes the toys, but
they are delivered to the children’s homes by Baby Jesus. This helps to
reconcile religious beliefs with modern ones.

14. Santa’s
home

Santa’s residence was originally established at the North
Pole following the publication of a sketch in ‘Harper’s Weekly’ in 1886, which
showed two children tracing his journey from the North Pole to the United
States. However, in 1952 newspapers revealed that he actually lived in Finnish
Lapland. Today, Santa receives thousands of letters from children all over the
world.

15. Stockings

The Christmas stocking can be traced to legends about Saint
Nicholas. One version tells of three sisters who could not marry because they
were so poor. Saint Nicholas took pity on them and threw gold coins down the
chimney. The coins landed in stockings hung over the embers to dry.

The first mention of stockings being hung by the chimney was
made by Clement Moore in his story about a visit from Saint Nicholas.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that Saint Nicolas soon would be there.

Today, children all over the world hang up their stockings
in the hope that they will be filled with small gifts while they sleep.

16. Twelve Days
of Christmas

The twelve days of Christmas date back to the pagan feast of
Yuletide, which lasted 12 days. The religious significance lies in the story of
the Wise Men who arrived from the East with their gifts of gold, frankincense
and myrrh to attend the infant Jesus on the 12th day, which is traditionally 5
January.

Throughout history, celebrating the birth of Jesus has been
an important part of Christmas. However, the Christmas that we celebrate today
is largely a secular event that contains Christian, pagan and cultural
elements. Whatever beliefs are held, Christmas is a special time for children
and for families, who will be immersed in it, whether at home, preschool or
church.

David Beckham hits back at criticism over 4 year-old Harper’s pacifier.

Experts claimed that the pacifier risked stunting her speech and put her teeth at risk of damage. Beckham blasted back saying:

“Everybody who has children knows that when they aren’t feeling well or have a fever, you do what comforts them best and most of the time it’s a pacifier. So, those who criticize, think twice about what you say about other people’s children because actually you have no right to criticize me as a parent.”

So should a 4 year-old be using a pacifier? At present, there are mixed opinions as to whether a pacifier in the pre-school years is good or bad. From the child’s viewpoint, the pacifier offers comfort and contentment at a time of need. From the parent’s viewpoint, pacifier use is up to them.

Health professionals argue that prolonged pacifier use may lead to speech delays and dental problems in some, but not all children, if continued after 4 years of age. Problems, if any, depend on the frequency of sucking (how often), duration (how long) and intensity (can you hear it across the room?). However, if the pacifier is taken away too soon, the child will find the fingers or thumb to suck on, which is a much harder habit to break. About 12% of adults still suck their fingers or thumbs.

In 2006, the International Journal of Orthodontics, and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, argued that prolonged use of a pacifier could negatively affect speech skills by interfering with the development of tongue tip movement needed for the production of certain sounds. Instead of making an attempt to use sounds and words, the child may point to objects to have their needs and wants met.

Pacifier use after 4 years-old has been associated with a higher incidence of dental problems (http://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0415/p681.html). However, thumb or finger-sucking can also alter tongue and teeth positioning. Even slight alterations can affect speech production.

Currently, about 75% of pre-school children in Western countries use a pacifier. Therefore, you can take comfort from the fact that you are not alone. You may wish to consider an orthodontic pacifier, which can help reduce dental problems than a traditional round one (for more information, visit: http://www.aapd.org/assets/1/25/Adair-14-01.pdf).

If you do have concerns, seek the advice of a dental specialist, who will recommend techniques to help your child break the habit. Early orthodontic management may prevent more extensive treatment later on.

Breaking the habit

Methods may include distraction with activities, toys and other objects of affection, putting unpalatable substances on the pacifier, cutting it short to reduce sucking satisfaction, restricting use to bedtime only or stopping the habit abruptly. Social pressure when the child goes to school can also put a stop to the habit. However, the pacifier may be replaced by the fingers or thumb.

Some parents find that agreeing with the child to donate the pacifier to the dummy fairy or to the Christmas elves works best. They will be sure to find a good home with a child who really needs it.